Lock bolt retainer



March 3, 1953 c. RAIVETZ 2,630,005

LOCK BOLT RETAINER Filed Oct. 18, 1949 5 Zlzvwcnfot CHARLES RA/ VETZ Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE LooK BOLT RETAINER Charles Raivetz, Philadelphia, Pa. I 1 Application October is, 1949, Serial No. 122,090

4 Claims. (01. 70-447) This invention relates to a retainer for installation on ordinary door locks and others to hold the loci: bolts in retracted, inoperative position, so that the doors or the like cannot be inadvertently locked, the primary object of the invention being to provide a simple, practical and lowcost device of this kind which can be readily installed and adjusted to prevent children and other persons from locking themselves in bathrooms, closets and the like.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein; merely for purposes of illustration herein, aspecific embodiment of the invention is set forth indetail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a door edgehaving a conventional mortise lock therein, showing a retainer associated therewith in accordance with the present invention, the retainer slide plate being shown in depressed, inoperative position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the retainer slide plate elevated in lock-boltretaining position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; I

Figure a is an enlarged top plan view of the retainer; 1

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail-tothe drawings, wherein like numerals designateflik ,parts throughout the several views, the-numeral 5 designates a door edge in which is mortised a lock 6, having a plate secured by upper and lower mounting screws 1 and a, respectively, and a lock bolt 9 adapted to be projected and retracted by conventional means, not shown.

The instant retainer, generally designated at Ill, comprises a vertically-elongated base plate ll, substantially narrower than the door edge 5 and of a length to reach downwardly from a point just above the lock bolt 9 to a point below the lower mounting screw 8. The base plate has lateral apertured ears l2, II on its upper end through which screw or barbed nails 13 are adapted to be driven into the door edge 5 after a vertically-elongated slot M in the lower part r of the plate has been engaged under the head of the lower mounting screw 8.

The lower end and the side edges of the base plate II are provided with channels" 15; A hole l6 providing free action of the lock bolt 9 there- 2 through is provided in the upper part of the plate H.

Vertically slidable on the front of the base plate H with its side edges slidably and frictionally confined in the related channels I5 is the retainer slide plate IT. This is of a length to clear the lock bolt 9 when in depressed, inoperative position, shown in Figure 1, and to cover and protect the look bolt 9 in retracted position when elevated to operative position, as shown in Figure 2. The lower part of the retainer slide plate I! is formed with a horizontal slot I8 provided with raised upper edges 19. The slot I8 is proportioned to accommodate a coin or other suitable instrument for working the slide plate up and down against 'the resistance of the frictional engagement of the edges thereof with the channels, which is provided to hold the slide plate in elevated position and prevent its casual or unwanted operation by a fingernail or the like.

With the device installed as above described, and with the slide plate I! elevated to prevent the lock bolt 9 from being operated to projected, locking position, children and other persons are prevented from carelessly or inadvertently locking themselves in a room served by a door so equipped.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a door edge having a lock mortised therein having a plat formed with an opening through which a projectable and retractible lock bolt operates, and a mounting screw below the bolt opening, of a retainer comprising a base plate positioned along .the lock plate below the bolt and formed with a slot in its lower part engaging said mounting screw and with a hole in its upper part registered with the bolt opening through which the lock bolt can be projected and retracted, channels along the sides of said base plate, a slide plate frictionally and slidably engaging said channels and adapted to-be moved along said base plate from a depressed position in which the lock bolt is free to be projected and retracted to an elevated position in which said slide plate closes said hole and provides an abutment preventing projection of the lock bolt to locking position, and means for raising and lowering said slide plate.

2. In combination, a door edge having a lock mortised therein having a lock plate extending along the door edge, said lock plate having its side edges spaced from the sides of the door, said lock having a retractable and extensible bolt operating through an opening provided in said lock plate, a mounting screw located below the bolt and traversing said lock plate and securing said .plate having ears on and projecting beyond its opposite side edges, means traversing said ears and engaging the door edge at points between the side edges of the lock plate and base plate and the opposite sides of the door whereby the upper part of said base plate is secured in place, a slide plate, and means on said 'base plate mounting said slide plate forv movement along,

said base plate from a depressed position below the lock bolt to an elevated position in which, said slide plate covers the hole in the base plate and the lock bolt opening in the lock plate and blocking relation to the lock bolt.

3. In combination, a door edge having a lock mortised therein having a lock plate extending along the door edge, said lock plate having its side edges spaced from the sides of the door, said lock having a retractable and extensible bolt operating through an opening provided in said lock plate, a mounting screw located below the bolt and traversing said lockplate and securing said lock plate to the door edge, a base plate extending along said lock plate between said lock bolt and a point below said mounting screw, said base plate being formed with a hole registered with the bolt opening of the lock plate through which the lock bolt can operate, a lower part of said base plate being formed with a slot securably engaging said mounting screw whereby the lower part of the base plate is held in place, said base plate having ears on and projecting beyond its opposite side edges, means traversing said ears and engaging the door edge at points between the side edges of the lock plate and base plate and the opposite sides of the door whereby the upper part of said base plate is secured in place,

and a slide plate mounted for movement along said base plate from a depressed positionbelow the lockbolt to an elevated position in which said slide plate covers the hole in the base plate and the lock bolt opening incthe lock plate'and is in blocking relationflto the lock bolt, said base plate being formed with channels extendin'g' is in:

along its side edges in which the side edgesof said slide plate are slidably engaged with suffi cient friction to require application of substantial 4 force to move said slide plate along said base plate in either direction.

4. In combination, a door edge having a lock mortised therein having a lock plat extending along the door edge, said lock plate having its side edges spaced from the sides of the door, said lock having a retractable and extensible bolt operating through an opening provided in said lock plate, a mounting screw located below the bolt and traversing said lock plate and securing said lock plate to the door edge, a base plate extending along said lock plate between said lock bolt and a point below said mounting screw, said base plate being formed with a hole registered with the bolt opening of the lock plate through which thelock bolt can operate, a lower part of said base plate beingiormed with a, slot securably engaging "said mounting screw whereby the lower parttoflthe base plate is held in place, said base plate having ears on and projecting beyond its opposite side edges, means traversing said ears landengaging the door edge at points between the side edges of the lock plate and base plate and the opposite side of the door whereby the upper part of said base plate is secured in place, and a slide plate mounted for movement along said base plate from a depressed position below the lock-boltfto an'elevated position in which said slide plate-covers the hole in the base plate and the lock bolt opening in the lock plate and is in blocking relation to the lock bolt, said'base plate being formed with channels extending along its side edges in which the side edges of said slide plate are slidably engaged with suficient friction to require application of substantial force to move said slide plate along said base plate in either direction, said base plate having a channel extending across its lower part for engagement by the lower end of said slide plate to limitdownward movement of said slide plate.

5 CHARLES RAIVETZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

